Brande Hirai, manager, said those options are part of what Lifetime Dental — which was started by Dr. Michael Breier and now includes Drs. Robert Pinón and Cameron Warner — does to put patients at ease.

"We give patients a tour, show them the office and introduce them to staff. There's a computer to use while you're waiting. We tour them around as they come through the back. It makes a difference," Hirai said.

They've found that "patients have such a good experience and such a genuine experience when they're here," she said.

At Gledhill Dental in Kennewick, paraffin wax is a popular extra. So are neck pillows and warm blankets.

The practice — the dentists are Drs. Lance Gledhill and Daniel Petersen — also offers music and other entertainment options.

"Every one of our patients is valuable and important to us. We try to put ourselves in their position, when they're coming here," said Renae Quigley, practice administrator.

"Being in the industry, we know what we're doing and why we're doing it," she said. "But not everyone is in a dental office every single day. Thinking about them and making them as stress-free as possible is a priority for us."

Lopez-Ibarra opened Tri-City Dental Care in March, after 2 1/2 years at West Pasco Family Dental.

A native of Mexico, he came to Washington with his family as a little boy.

His father was a teacher's union leader in Sinaloa and moved the family so Lopez-Ibarra and his four brothers could study in the U.S.

At first, Lopez-Ibarra's father worked in the fields and as a teacher's aide, eventually getting a teaching job and earning a master's degree in English as a Second Language.

Lopez-Ibarra, who grew up in Yakima, went to dental school at the University of Washington.

His parents' hard work and sacrifice inspired him and his brothers, he said. The brothers are all successful professionals — two business owners, two dentists and a chiropractor.

"We've done as much as we could in our careers to help my dad realize he came here for a reason and didn't just waste his time," Lopez-Ibarra said.

The 31-year-old, who lives in Richland, said he's looking to make Tri-City Dental Care into the best practice it can be.

The spa treatments are part of that, he said, adding that his focus is on providing top-notch dentistry.

Oscar Suarez, 29, of Pasco, said he's been happy with his experience. The spa-like extras are a plus in his eyes.

The last time he was in Lopez-Ibarra's chair for treatment, he watched a cartoon — he thinks it was Zootopia — while the dentist did his work.

"Something like that is really soothing," Suarez said, as we waited to be seen for a follow-up.

"I would always get nervous (going to the dentist). You think, it's going to be long, it's going to be painful, I'm going to have to wait," he said.

"It's nice that when you come to a place like this, you're not looking toward that chair, you're looking forward to what you're going to experience. It throws off the edge."